There are two kinds of dog-friendly staycations in Toronto: the ones where you feel like a guest, and the ones where you feel like you’ve temporarily moved in. My family’s one-night stay at the Kimpton Saint George Hotel in Yorkville fell firmly into the latter, and that’s saying something considering we brought along our 85-pound labradoodle, Carter.
Here’s the thing: Carter has zero chill and does nothing subtly. So when the doors slid open, and he caught sight of the inviting lobby and a handful of new humans, he nearly ransacked the place out of sheer joy.
The tail? Wagging out of control.
Paws? Skidding across the polished floors, nearly crashing into the Pup Stop (a water station for the doggos), the hotel had set up at the concierge desk. Add in me trying to control this miniature pony-sized dog, and it was probably a sight to behold for other guests.
The hotel staff, though, were completely unfazed by all that doodle energy. Makes sense given that the Kimpton brand is famously pet-friendly, with no size restrictions and extra fees. They’ve probably seen many Carters pitter-pattering through their doors with uncontrollable excitement.
We checked into our room and started settling in.
There was plenty of natural light gracing the room, and the space felt both modern and warm. For Carter, there was plenty of room on the floor and the Queen-sized bed to sprawl after his very dramatic lobby appearance.
The staff offered a complimentary pup bed, but we respectfully declined. Carter choosing that over a Queen-sized mattress would be completely out of character.
Then, we made our way down to the hotel bar for Happy Hour, mingling with some of the guests and listening to local musician Jesse Maxwell serenade us over a cup of wine and some complimentary pizza. After a busy and stressful week, this was exactly the way to kick off a staycation: comfort food, good music and zero worries.
Musician Jesse Maxwell at Kimpton Saint George Hotel.
I’d be remiss not to mention that Carter made a brief appearance at Happy Hour, where he made convincing attempts to socialize by jumping on people and trying to snag some pizza crust.
I decided to drop him back in the room before he got too carried away, although he was sad to say goodbye to his friend Double Bubble. I did manage to save a small piece of my crust for him to savour (I hope his vet isn’t reading this), and he happily accepted the consolation prize.
The nearby Annex neighbourhood is ideal for a dog walk, with quiet residential streets and the steady buzz of Bloor St. So you can only imagine that the evening stroll delivered exactly what Carter hoped for: a wealth of new scents to discover.
The one thing I would have liked to do was go to the Royal Ontario Museum, or even the Bata Shoe Museum, but both closed relatively early that day which was a bummer.
After our evening walk, we kicked back to catch the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Carter has a very specific sports-related quirk: he loves the squeak of basketball shoes on the court, and follows the players as their sneakers screech across the hardwood with his ears perked with excitement.
But we didn’t plan to stay in all night.
I was craving Mexican, so we walked seven minutes to Blanco Cantina and settled in. The ambiance was warm and cozy, but the food was below average except for the Jalisco Hot Chicken Tacos. According to my husband, those “slapped.”
Blanco Cantina.
Without getting into details, I left with a chipped tooth and a headache, but that’s a story for another time.
By the time we stepped back outside, it had started to snow. This may sound cheesy, but as we headed over to Eva’s Original for a classic chimney cake — we’d picked Carter up from the hotel so he could enjoy the nighttime stroll plus a couple of licks of ice cream — it felt like one of those serendipitous, perfect city moments you can’t plan for. There’s something truly magical about Toronto when the streets are lined with fresh snow and all the streetlights are aglow.
Back in our room, it hit me: I forgot my makeup wipes. My backup, a frozen pack of baby wipes (because you know, toddler mom), had been sitting in the car for too long.
I debated running out for a fresh pack at Shoppers, a five-minute walk in the cold, when my eyes spotted a little sachet in the bathroom. Makeup wipes. Crisis adverted.
Kimpton Guest Services also provides a slew of other essentials that you can just call and get delivered to your room. I would know this because I also forgot to pack toothbrushes, and well, a full-sized tube of Colgate is useless without a brush.
I like to turn in early, and nothing says a good night’s sleep more than multiple, perfectly propped pillows and knowing breakfast will be waiting just steps from your room in the morning.
Breakfast at The Fortunate Fox.
I was beyond excited to head downstairs to The Fortunate Fox, the Kimpton’s in-house restaurant, for a hearty breakfast. It was good; nothing blew me away but it was satisfying.
After, we roamed the streets for Carter’s morning bladder release, and then it was time to check out. As we said goodbye to the staff, what stood out most about our stay wasn’t the amenities or the design — it was the ease and peace of mind we felt leaving Carter in the room for short periods.
Travelling with a large dog can sometimes feel like you’re constantly apologizing for taking up too much space, but our staycation didn’t make us feel that way at all. For a one-night, dog-friendly staycation that didn’t require leaving Toronto — but still felt like a getaway — it delivered.
And Carter? Between all the new scents to investigate and the steady stream of treats he enjoyed while lounging and people-watching in the lobby, I’d say he’s ready to move in permanently.